It was brief, barely a blink, but there was a dip in the frenzy surrounding the game of batsmen and bowlers as the calming effects of greens, fairways and tees came into focus last week. And this happened in places that are currently demarcated as hotbeds of cricketing passion-India and South Africa. All it took was two men and their quiet and dignified, but extremely combative duel in a third country.

"I am going to be teeing up to win, not make cuts." Arjun Atwal, Golfer

Played in fits and starts due to frequent weather interruptions, the Carlsberg Malaysian Open came down to a matchplay between Arjun Atwal and Retief Goosen. The South African star received top billing for the week and was expected to waltz away with the booty and accompanying glory. He almost did, but for Atwal, who felt it was time to take centrestage yet again.

"Confidence levels were high coming to Malaysia as my game was falling into place after a five-week break," says Atwal. "I was comfortable with my swing and the short game was sharp." Wife Sona too had a "good feeling" as her charge went on to demolish the Mines Resort & Golf Club layout in Kuala Lumpur with an opening nine-under par 62, a course record that was not officially ratified as "preferred lies" were in play due to the wet conditions.

Atwal capitalised on his high-speed start for a total of 24-under par 260, which gave him a four-shot win over Goosen, the 2001 US Open champion. And just to drive home the point he had been making the past three days, Atwal chipped in for a birdie on the last hole. The rewards: a high-calibre title garnished with $183,330 (Rs 87 lakh) and the honour of being the only Indian to have won not once, but twice on the European Tour.

It was about the same time last year that Atwal triumphed at the Caltex Singapore Masters and roused expectations in the Indian golfing fraternity. What followed was a string of missed cuts. "It started off as a couple of missed cuts in Malaysia and Qatar and then I got hard on myself trying to play out of my skin. By the end of it, I was physically and mentally tired," he says.

A wiser Atwal will now pick and choose his playgrounds and take a breather after every four to five weeks. "I will not put pressure on myself but will be more aggressive," he affirms. The declaration will please his fan following that ranges from budding golfers to seasoned professionals.

Atwal, who will turn 30 next month, has been a big game hunter. It started with the 1999 Indian Open in Kolkata, a city he likes to call home despite owning a sprawling, swimming pool-fitted farmhouse on the outskirts of Delhi and a residence in Long Island, New York. The year 2000 was particularly memorable as he wedded his childhood friend and also happened to win the Hero Honda Masters in Delhi and the Star Alliance Open in Hong Kong.

His successes have put him on the threshold of becoming the first player to win $1 million on the apga Tour. When your modes of transport are Toyota Landcruisers and Mitsubishi Pajeros, the value of such landmarks is scaled down but there are those who have partnered in his achievements and profited in the bargain. Take his on-course companion in Singapore and, more recently, in Kuala Lumpur. "Rusli" bought a house after the Singapore win and is planning to get himself a car after the latest triumph. Caddy, anyone?

-Prabhdev Singh